Mining Company Chooses GE Process-Control Solution

GE Intelligent Platforms' Proficy Process Systems process-control solution has been chosen by Barun Mining, a subsidiary of China Baogang Group, for use in its iron mining business in China. The company chose GE's solution to facilitate product quality improvement, optimise production and reduce costs. China Baogang, an equipment manufacturer in China, is involved in the construction of metallurgical, infrastructural facilities and other industrial projects.

The company also provides geo-technical engineering construction, industrial and civil construction, rock and earthwork excavation, equipment installation and steel-structure fabrication and installation services. Barun Mining provides an additional source of material from China's Bayan Obo area for the Baogang group to protect against global supply-chain disturbances. Proficy Process Systems is a scalable, fully integrated system for process automation and control.

With an open and scalable architecture, it leverages GE's hardware and software platforms to provide a system that is suitable for rugged mining operations control. Barun Mining is using Proficy Process Systems to record process data for the whole plant. 'The Proficy Process Systems high-availability Pacsystems RX3i controller, I/O [input/output] and forward-thinking architecture of 100Mbps I/O rack connectivity will enable us to increase our productivity,' said Dongziqing, vice-president of Barun Mining.

Proficy Process Systems provides a single control environment and comprehensive engineering and operator functionality. Its open architecture reduces lifecycle costs through precise calibration and secure electronic configuration.

Proficy Process Systems' Global Namespace provides a single point of configuration to eliminate the risk of inconsistencies between multiple databases and the need to duplicate engineering efforts. The real-time monitoring of the plant and an alarming system provide the overall equipment effectiveness of production equipment efficiency and critical plant conditions.

GE Launches High-Performance LV Switchgear

The modular SEN Plus range of LV switchgear from GE Power Controls has been designed to offer flexibility, reliability and safety for building, machinery, process industry and utilities applications. The successor to the GEA Plus range, SEN Plus delivers low voltage solutions and incorporates several new features. The switchboard is fully tested and compliant with the latest IEC61439 standard to 100kA.

It is also certified to IEC6164 for internal arc faults to limit the arc to the point of origin. It integrates GE's complete Entelliguard range of air circuit breakers from 400 to 6,300A. Other features include compact design, rigid frame construction, simple cabling and easy and safe operation. SEN Plus meets high manufacturing standards and components are fully RoHS compliant. It is also accredited to ISO14001, ISO9001 and Six Sigma.

GE Releases Enhanced Durus Controllers

GE Intelligent Platforms has announced the availability of its Durus Plus controllers. The Durus Plus is a low-end controller featuring RTD, analogue out, four-function math, PID and the Modbus Master/Slave communications. It builds on the foundation of the Durus controller, adding more functionality to the same footprint for applications where extra capability is needed. 'Typical applications for the Durus Plus would be lighting control, conveyor control, water level control or motor monitoring were the unit can replace timers and counters for increased reliability,' said Bill Black, controllers product manager for GE Intelligent Platforms.

'Durus controllers integrate I/O, operator interface and control in one small package,' he added. The Durus is built to take on the industrial environment with standard features such as a built-in operator interface, a wide range of communications options, expansion slots and a solid slide-and-snap mechanical interlock to expansion modules. Durus controllers include built-in display/keypad, high current outputs and multiple communication options.

They can be programmed using both the built-in display and keypad or with the Durus controller's free programming software. The Durus Plus has a display that has been increased to 12 lines by 16 characters. Its memory has been increased from 200 lines of ladder code to 300 lines. Memory has also been increased from 99 blocks to 260 blocks for Function Block Diagram programming. Add/subtract, multiply/divide, PID, data multiplexer, analogue out ramp and data move function blocks have been added to increase programming capabilities.

GE Introduces IGS Drivers For Proficy Software

GE Intelligent Platforms has announced the availability of Industrial Gateway Server (IGS) 7.5 drivers for its Proficy software. This offering, utilising industry-standard Kepware KEPServerEX and driver technology, includes more than 100 protocols, which enables connectivity to thousands of different control hardware and instruments. Several of the connectivity solutions support vertical industry-specific hardware.

A single IGS 7.5 instance allows customers to connect to a variety of devices, IGS 7.5 provides users with an opportunity to consolidate information from different control hardware and instruments to visualise, control, analyse and optimise via connected Proficy HMI/Scada, MES, EMI or Workflow software. It is optimised to use the maximum possible speed supported by the devices with built-in diagnostics for communication errors and complete browsing functionality into devices.

This connectivity solution allows customers to manage operations from a more complete perspective, allowing them to process various data points and correlate multiple process indicators. IGS 7.5 provides robust connectivity through the latest OPC DA standards and also comes with a native Proficy Ifix interface that takes speed and reliability further. It goes beyond Proficy Ifix HMI/Scada solutions and can be used with the entire Proficy software portfolio, such as Proficy Cimplicity, Workflow, Plant Applications and Historian.

The native interface into the Proficy Ifix software is another feature of this driver. The enhanced IGS 7.5 application supports remote and offline configuration options without disrupting communications. Existing customers can upgrade to the enhanced IGS 7.5 and access all the latest added device connectivity options quickly. GE's ongoing work with Kepware keeps the product in tune with technology changes and connections to newer devices.

GE Fanuc Unveils Proficy Workflow For Smartgrid

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms has announced its work process management software enabled for use by utilities for Smartgrid solutions. With Proficy Workflow, utilities can digitise and orchestrate work processes to achieve coordinated, efficient and reliable power delivery. Proficy Workflow, in conjunction with a Service Oriented Architecture such as Proficy SOA, can orchestrate processes across systems and people, triggering automatic and manual actions based on real-time events - which support the three key Smartgrid functions of delivery optimisation, demand optimisation and asset optimisation.

'Every utility contains a mix of automated and manual interactions between equipment and personnel,' said Greg Millinger, product general manager for Proficy Workflow and Proficy SOA for GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms. 'Often, these processes are not fully documented and include extra steps and resources. 'As such, they are difficult to adapt to changing needs, which challenges the industry in the journey toward the Smartgrid. 'As workforces age and retire, utilities are losing the knowledge that is gained from years of experience - as the information has not been captured electronically and put into formal processes,' he added.

To help avoid potential failures in the grid, Proficy Workflow can provide response, automatic recovery scenarios and improved 'pre-warning' systems of potential distribution problems. The system guides operators through step-by-step instructions to ensure actions comply with defined processes - with validated entry. Users can capture both automated and manual data entry, and digitise and enforce compliance with policy manuals and standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Teams can react immediately to alarms and process exceptions with best practice corrective action and exception management. Utilities can automatically and dynamically respond to process problems and events, monitoring alarms and out-of-spec conditions from multiple systems. Proficy Workflow can send tasks to people or systems to correct for problems in real time and escalate as needed.

Utilities can minimise nuisance alarms and take proper action on critical alarms. Proficy Workflow also helps with the employee attrition facing utilities and loss of expert knowledge and processes. With Proficy Workflow, utilities can implement Troubleshooting Trees to walk people through potential problems to determine root cause and solution, therefore increasing uptime and reliability. Troubleshooting Trees can help with repair of equipment as well as in-process coordination.

In addition, utilities can capture the knowledge base of expert workers due to retire, reducing effects of attrition. Proficy Workflow allows utilities to provide new operators with instructionally sound training and the ability to practice operations tasks and SOPs before actually operating equipment. Proficy Workflow can orchestrate the exchange of real-time data across the existing utility systems software and hardware infrastructure including HMI/Scada. The solution decreases costs associated with low-level systems integration and reduces downtime by simplifying data orchestration.

For example, seamless integration of information from a Scada system on top of a wind farm into a Scada system of a larger utility may help determine short-term generation capacity while the transformer temperature profile can concurrently be leveraged by the maintenance management system. 'With Proficy Workflow, utilities can improve response to real-time events - as an example, taking an automatic corrective action to overcome a cascading failure or automatically reducing loads over time,' said Millinger. 'Operations experts have the opportunity to quickly create, deploy and modify work processes for greater agility and improved performance - without requiring IT resources or support - to make every operator an expert,' he added.

GE Detector Tests Spot Welding

The Spotchecker from GE Sensing And Inspection Technologies is a hand-held flaw detector with application-specific software, which allows it to be used as a portable solution for spot weld testing. Contained within an environmentally protected housing, the instrument does not require intensive training and offers an 'expert' system for less qualified people in weld inspection.

Spotchecker will allow inspection to be carried out at the place of welding, rather than having to move welded parts to dedicated inspection points. Spotchecker is sealed to IP65 and weighs 3.5kg. Its ergonomically designed operator interface features an 8in LCD touch screen, six programmable function keys and twin track balls to allow ease of use, even in the most restricted of testing locations. It is battery operated and batteries can be 'hot swapped' to ensure continuous operation.

Battery charging can be done with batteries inside or outside the instrument, using an external charger. The instrument can also be remotely operated if required. The flaw detector can be connected to external periphery devices such as mouse, keyboard and printer either by USB or by WLAN. Data upload and download is performed wirelessly. The Ultralog application software included with Spotchecker is a tried-and-tested database program for the systematic inspection of spot-welded joints.

Combining ultrasonic expertise with electronic data processing, it provides a package for performing inspection, evaluation and documentation of results, while meeting strict quality management requirements. By setting out inspection and test plans, specifying the number of welds to be inspected, and describing the test location material data, test diagrams and ultrasonic settings, Ultralog allows Spotchecker to be used by relatively unskilled personnel.

GE Fanuc Scales Down Proficy Process Systems

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms has released Proficy Process Systems in a 250 I/O size, single-computer offering targeted at smaller applications and OEMs. Proficy Process Systems is a fully-integrated process control system that can provide customers with improved quality and reliability, increased throughput, performance and efficiency and reduced total cost of ownership.

The foundation of Proficy Process Systems is a contemporary hardware and software infrastructure that offers the benefits of traditional DCS and PLC/HMI systems, without many of the historic limitations of those approaches. Proficy Systems is also packed with control features including a comprehensive set of function blocks for advanced regulatory control.

In addition, user-defined function blocks can be created for the freedom and flexibility to define control algorithms as necessary, which system integrators can lock to protect their intellectual property. Proficy Process Systems supports Foundation Fieldbus, Profibus DP and PA, Hart and Ethernet.